The Devil Within
by 4NN0NYM0U5
Summary: Katrina Monroe is a selectively mute agent working for SHIELD. When she is placed on a mission with the Avengers and a special guest, Loki, will she learn to let her voice out? Or will the love of silence keep her mouth sewn shut? Loki/OC
1. Chapter 1 What He Knows

_AN: Hiya, random readers who have happened to click on this story. Believe it or not, I've had this idea in my head for almost a year now. If you have any writing pointers, feel free to let me know via review. I'd appreciate the feedback!_

 _Happy reading!_

 **Chapter One – What He Knows**

 **The Dungeon, Asgard**

Loki had been locked in this cell for so long he'd lost track of time. He was dimly aware of the guards passing by constantly, and the one- or two-times Thor came to visit. His adopted brother seemed to be the only one who took interest in the fallen prince now. Usually the conversations were one-sided; Loki wasn't sure what to say. But the God of Thunder returned anyways, usually talking about Midgard.

Now, Loki sat alone in his cell, leaning against the back wall while staring up at the ceiling. During his imprisonment, Odin had told Loki to use the time to reflect. _Reflect._ Loki scoffed at the thought. What was there to reflect about? He was always told as a child he was born to be a king. Yet, as he tried to rule Midgard as the all-powerful being he had been told he was, _apparently_ Midgard had some sort of fighting squad—which included Thor, of all people, to chain him up and send him back to Asgard. No, instead of 'reflecting' on what he had done, Loki had spent his time thinking about what The Mad Titan, Thanos, would do next. _He wants Earth, he wants power, he wants the stones._ Surely Thanos would be making his next move soon. He knows where many of the Infinity Stones are, thanks to Loki. But the God of Mischief hadn't gotten any news about invasions to Asgard nor to Midgard, and he couldn't help but feel relief. If Thanos were to get what he wanted, there was no hope for anyone.

Lost in his thoughts, Loki didn't notice Thor standing with the cell door open. He was staring expectantly at the younger god he had known to be his brother.

"Are you coming, or not?" Thor inquired impatiently. Loki stood, narrowing his eyes with confusion.

"You're letting me free?" He asked, stepping out of the cell to stand next to Thor.

"No," Thor responded, "I'll be keeping close watch on you. The only reason Father agreed to let you out is because of what you know." That statement only made Loki even more confused, and he was overcome with curiosity. _What I know?_ What could he possibly know that is so important?

"Where are we going?" Loki quickly followed Thor, who had taken off down the hall.

"Midgard," he responded. Loki groaned.

"Midgard?" He repeated. "What need would we of that wretched realm?" If his comment had bothered Thor, he most certainly didn't show it; the God of Thunder simply kept leading Loki out of the palace.

"I'll explain when we get there." The rest of the walk was lapsed with silence. When they reached the Bifrost, Heimdall was waiting. He nodded to Loki in greeting, who responded with a grunt.

"Safe travels," Heimdall said, placing his sword into the Bifrost and turning it; the portal opened immediately with a burst of color. Thor dipped his head and dragged Loki behind him as he stepped into the Bifrost.

 **Debriefing Room, SHEILD Heli carrier**

Katrina sat in silence, as she usually did, watching the Avengers file into the room. She wasn't quite sure why she was summoned on this particular mission; it was with the Avengers, after all. The World's Mightiest Heroes hardly looked to need her help. Yet, Fury had insisted she joined anyways. So, here she was, sitting awkwardly while being flanked by Tony Stark and Clint Barton. She glanced at the two heroes on either side of her, slumping in her chair a little.

The agent wasn't much for small talk—she wasn't much for talk in general. Katrina liked to consider herself mute. Conversations were too hard for her, so she stuck to what she knew best; silence. As the team around her conversed, she sat observing. That was one of her skills. She was very observant. She could pick up the smallest detail in a conversation and could tell if someone was lying without even asking questions. Ever since she joined SHIELD, she had gained the title _Silent but Deadly._ Nobody really called her that—not to her face, at least. But that was what she was most known for. Agent Romanoff had once even joked that if someone were to look up the term in the dictionary, the only description would be her name.

It was several moments of just chatter. The noise reminded her of her days in school when her class was never quiet. It was almost comforting. Finally, after several moments, Director Fury entered the room. Behind him was Thor, and someone else. The room fell into silence. Next to her, she could tell Barton was seething. Yet, she was unsure of why. The man with Thor seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. After the two had taken their seats, Fury began speaking.

"Many of you are probably wondering why Loki is here," he began. _Loki, God of Mischief._ He led the attack on New York when the Avengers Initiative was first put into action. That's why he was familiar. Though she hadn't been there that day, she had watched it over the news. The event was so destructive, the News channels in England were talking about it. She'd know because that's where she was during the attack on New York; finishing an assassination mission in London, England. She was snapped out of her thoughts by Fury speaking again.

"He is only here because he has valuable information concerning Thanos, and the attack he is supposedly leading soon." Most of the Avengers seemed content with that explanation. All except Clint, who was still glaring at the God of Mischief across the table. "If any of you have any problems," Fury stated firmly, glaring at Barton, "feel free to take them up with me. Now, on with the mission report." Katrina brushed the hair out of her face, waiting for him to continue, when Steve Rogers—the man out of time, as people around SHIELD called him, interrupted.

"And who's that young lady?" He asked, motioning to where Katrina sat. She swallowed and glanced at Fury, who nodded slightly and turned back to Steve.

"This is Special Agent Monroe. She'll be accompanying you all in this mission because of her expertise in gathering information. Agent Monroe usually works alone, so keep that in mind," he added. Steve turned back to where Katrina sat and smiled.

"Glad to have you," he said brightly. However, when she didn't respond, he blinked in confusion.

"Ah, yes, forgot to mention one minor detail. Monroe is selectively mute, so she won't respond to anything you say by speaking." Steve nodded slightly, and Fury added, "that would be why she's here; none of you are very good at stealth missions, so I have assigned Monroe for that specific reason." He glared around the table of Avengers with his good eye. "So, can I proceed with the debriefing?" He asked with a hint of annoyance in his tone. Murmurs of agreement swept across the table, and the Director nodded.

"As I was saying, we have come to suspect The Mad Titan is planning an attack on New York. If it happens, it'll be much worse than Loki's little rampage." At this statement, the God of Mischief let out a huff.

"I wouldn't call it a rampage," he muttered.

"Oh, c'mon, Lokes. You're just a reindeer with daddy issues," Stark spoke up for the first time, not surprisingly with a joke. Snickers erupted around the table, and Loki growled and turned his attention back to Fury, who was standing with his arms crossed.

"If you're done, I still have debriefing to do," the director spoke, glaring at Stark. The billionaire just shrugged in response. "Now, we don't know much about Thanos, but that is exactly why we brought in Loki." Everyone's eyes turned on Loki, who frowned.

"Well, it's a long story," he muttered.

 **Debriefing Room, SHEILD Helicarrier**

Loki glanced around at all the Avengers who had their eyes trained on him. "Thanos prefers to have someone called The Other do most of his dirty work for him," Loki began. He wouldn't go into much detail; the torture he endured from the Titan was not a subject he often liked to bring up.

"Thanos' main goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones. Midgard—Earth," he corrected himself quickly, "appears to have quite a few of them." He narrowed his eyes and swept his gaze around the room. "That's all that is really important." The room was wrapped in silence. Loki frowned. Finally, Banner spoke up.

"Is that really all we know about him?" He asked cautiously. Loki winced. He knew that was coming.

"Well," he started awkwardly.

"I'm sure Loki is telling all he knows," Thor interrupting, glancing at his adopted brother. Loki, however, blinked coldly at him.

"Whatever the case," Steve sighed, "we'll need to come up with a plan if he does end up attacking."

"What do you think I'm doing?" Fury inquired, eyes trained on the solider. Steve shrugged. Romanoff, who had been quiet the entire debriefing, spoke up for the first time.

"We can't just come up with one out of the blue," she decided. "It'll take time to create a plan." Fury nodded his approval at the agent.

"Yes, we will be embarking on several missions before we come up with the actual plan—for more information about our enemy, of course." Stark nodded.

"Makes sense," he said, standing. "Alright, I'm outta here. Business to help run." He smiled and began to leave the room. Loki sighed with relief. Before anyone could leave, however, Fury stopped them.

"Actually, Stark," He said, eye narrowed, "I wanted to speak with you about something." They began whispering to each other, and Loki rolled his eyes. He glanced at the new agent—Agent Monroe, her name was. She returned his stare coldly. She turned her attention away, however, as Stark let out a long sigh. Loki followed her gaze to where Stark was standing.

"Whelp, I guess you're all hanging out at Stark Towers now," he mumbled.

"Only for the mission," Fury added from behind him. Stark scoffed.

"Yep, whatever you say," Stark sighed with a roll of his eyes. Loki stood as everyone else did and let himself be escorted out of the room by Thor.

 **Stark Towers, New York**

Katrina followed everyone else into the living room. It was large and modern, which was to be expected. She shuffled to the side to let everyone behind her do their thing while she tried to figure out what to do herself. She watched Stark make for his bar, Thor and Loki plopping themselves on the sofa, Romanoff and Clint were heading down to the training room to spar, and Banner was sitting awkwardly in an armchair. Katrina frowned. She glanced around, then sighed. Why she was here, she still had no clue. She'd rather be alone in her bunk on the helicarrier than surrounded by many people—the Avengers, no less. Steve, who had been exploring the room, noticed her and approached her. Katrina frowned. _Awesome, he's going to try and converse,_ she thought with little enthusiasm. She smiled at him, and he returned it.

"So, you're a SHIELD agent? How long have you been there?" He asked, obviously forgetting the fact she was selectively mute. She held up 8 fingers, keeping direct eye contact with him.

"Oh, 8 years. That's actually more than I thought." He smiled at her again, which she returned weakly.

"I saw Romanoff and Barton go to the training room. I was going to join them. Wanna come?" When Katrina nodded, he turned and began heading down the hall. Katrina followed excitedly. Sparring was her favorite thing to do when she wasn't alone. Plus, she was excited to show what she could do to the Avengers. They entered the training room, where Romanoff and Barton were circling each other. There were two other spaces available. Steve made his way to the far one and Katrina followed.

"Alright, uh, I guess were sparring then." Katrina smiled and held up her fists, focusing on the man in front of her. Steve threw a punch, which she expertly dodged before she grabbed his wrist. She twisted it, and Steve flipped with it. With a grunt, the soldier threw another punch. It was low, aimed for her gut. Katrina dove over it, rolling on impact and landing a little way behind Steve. She swept out her legs, catching Steve off guard and sending him on the floor. Katrina then pinned him, smiling.

"Well, that was quick," he muttered. Katrina shrugged, letting him up off the ground. "Again?" he suggested, to which Katrina nodded. They both got ready again, and this time Katrina got the first move. She quickly swiped at Steve's head, who was ready. He caught her fist and in turn sent a punch right for her stomach. She received it with an _oof,_ yet she still retaliated with a blow of her own. She swung her fist right at his jaw, making contact and forcing the soldier to take a step back. Panting, she began circling him. They went at it for another 15 minutes, each of them getting a few good blows in. Finally, Katrina had pinned Steve with an arm against his neck. She could easily choke him out but refrained due to it only being a sparring session. Panting, she smiled at him.

"I guess you win. Again," he added. "You're pretty good." At his compliment, Katrina smiled brightly and stepped off him. He glanced at something over her shoulder; Katrina turned and saw both Clint and Natasha watching them. She glanced at Steve, who shrugged.

"Can we help you?" Steve called. The two agents just shrugged.

"I dunno," Clint asked with a smirk, "can you?" Natasha snorted, while Katrina stifled a laugh. The younger agent glanced from Clint and Natasha, to Steve.

"Alright, _Hawkeye,_ you and Nat against me. Let's see how well you do." Clint shrugged, while Natasha smirked.

"Fine with me," the Russian spy said, still smirking. Katrina went over to the far wall to sit and watch the match. After a while of them circling each other, she stood and walked out of the room to find something better to do. Explore, maybe. That's when she ran into Loki, standing casually outside the door.

 **Stark Towers, New York**

Loki had gotten bored of listening to Thor and Stark banter, so he heaved himself off Starks expensive sofa and made his way to the hall he saw Monroe and Rodgers disappear down. He walked for a bit, slowly, until he reached the door. He opened it and slipped into the room. He stood there at the doorway, watching Monroe and the soldier spar. The mute girl was quite good, for her size. That was one of the first things he'd noticed about her; her height. He easily towered over than the girl. Also, her age; she didn't look to be that old at all. He continued to watch with his arms crossed, until Monroe had pinned Rodgers. He smirked. Perhaps he'd spar against her some time. He quietly exited the room again and stared at the closed door. He was caught off guard when it opened, and Monroe stepped out. She looked equally surprised to see him, too.

"Uh, hi," he greeted slowly. He knew she couldn't respond, so he decided to keep his sentences simple.

"I saw your spar. You did okay, for a mortal." Monroe shrugged. He tightened his lips, glancing around awkwardly. "Perhaps we could have our own match sometime?" he inquired. Monroe narrowed her eyes suspiciously but nodded anyways. "Alright. Well, -what's that term Midgardians use? See you around?" When the young agent nodded, he smiled. "Alright, then see you around." He turned and made his way back into the main room, where Thor and Stark had switched from bantering to doing something on the device Loki had learned was called a _television._ He plopped himself next to his adopted brother, staring at the screen. "What's this?" He asked, glancing at Thor. The God of Thunder shrugged.

"Some game the Man of Iron created," he responded without looking at Loki. He was intent on what he was doing. Loki frowned, then stood again.

"Stark, you wouldn't happen to have a library anywhere?" He glanced around. Stark, without looking up from the screen, answered.

"Yep. It's on the 37th floor." Loki nodded and make for the elevator. He was about to press the button which closed the doors when Monroe stepped in. She looked surprised to see him there, but quietly pressed the 37. Loki frowned.

"You're going to the library, too?" He asked. He didn't take her as one to read. Monroe glanced back at him and nodded. They waited in silence as the elevator climbed up the building. With a ding, the doors finally opened. Loki waited as Monroe stepped out, before he followed. The agent seemed to know exactly where she was going. She made a sharp turn and made her way through the rows of books, looking focused. Loki glanced around, then went on his own search.

 **Kitchen, Stark Towers, New York**

Katrina was leaned against the wall, quietly watching the mayhem of the kitchen. Thor was grabbing three plates of food which she didn't doubt he'd eat himself, Tony was sipping a glass of alcohol, Steve was patiently waiting to grab a serving, Romanoff and Clint were nowhere to be seen, Banner was quietly eating his food, and Loki was staring at his brother with disgust. The young agent decided she wasn't hungry and turned to leave. She made her way out onto the balcony that overlooked the city. It was cold, and the moment Katrina stepped outside she hugged herself for warmth. She quietly sat and stared at the lights below. The city that never sleeps was certainly busy; there was a lot of traffic for the time of night, and Katrina suspected it was because of the Christmas shopping that everyone was desperate to complete. She, herself, had never celebrated Christmas. Well, not since she was very young, at least. After sitting, hugging her knees for several minutes, she heard someone else step onto the balcony.

"Too crowded?" It was Loki. Katrina turned to him and nodded. The God of Mischief sat next to her with a grunt. "You know, I didn't like you a first," he commented. "You seemed like just another useless agent Fury has hired. But," he turned to her, "you're not. Makes me wonder why you're so different from most of the other agents." Katrina continued staring at the lights below her. Finally, she turned to look at him.

"What makes me different," she croaked, her voice raspy from lack of use, "is how I was recruited." Loki blinked with surprise. Katrina was surprised herself; she hadn't spoken for years. Yet here she was, sitting on a balcony with the Norse God of Lies, speaking to him. She returned her gaze to New York, refusing to say any more. There was a moment of silence, until,

"Mind sharing?" Katrina glared at him and shook her head. Loki frowned, then sighed. "Alright, I'll just consider myself lucky to have gotten you to talk in the first place." He stood and made for the fancy modern French doors that separated the balcony from the Living room. He paused at the doorway and looked back at her.

"You know, you have a beautiful voice," he commented. "You should use it more often." And with that, he was gone.

 _AN: Thank you to those who are actually reading this far. Remember, if you have any writing pointers please leave a review!_

 _Until next time~_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – Where Her Voice Went**

 **Loki's Room, Stark Towers, New York**

Ms. Potts had kindly showed everyone to their rooms soon after they were finished their meals. The separation was sort of strange, but Loki didn't mind. His quarters were nowhere near Barton, which was probably for the best. Though he loved to torment the archer, he'd probably get stabbed with an arrow in his sleep. Loki glanced around the room. Stark had graced him with a bookshelf, thank the Norn's. That meant he wouldn't have to leave very often and could avoid everyone else in the tower. He smirked and ran his hand across the spines of each book. Perhaps this wouldn't be terrible after all.

Just as he was about to sit with his book, there was a loud knock on the door. Without moving, Loki snapped his fingers and the door swung open. "What?" He demanded. Thor stood at the doorway, looking as bright as ever.  
"Brother, you should come out! You won't redeem yourself sitting in your room all day." Loki wrinkled his nose. Thor had just referred to him as 'brother.' Before he could make a snarky remark, Thor grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him down the hall.

"Wha—Thor!" He gasped, trying to pry his hand free. Thor didn't even acknowledge Loki's struggles. Instead, he just tossed him into the center of the Living Room.

"There we are!" Thor declared. Loki glared back at him coldly, brushing off his clothing.

"I don't need your help to walk, Thor," he snapped. Around the room, pretty much everyone was stifling their laughter. Loki narrowed his eyes and made for the kitchen. He expected it to be empty, considering most of the Avengers were in the main room. However, he'd forgotten about Agent Monroe. She was sitting at the table with some sort of hot beverage in her hand, sipping it. When Loki entered the room, she looked up. Loki blinked at her, before slipping into a seat in front of her. Monroe smiled weakly, which Loki ignored.

"What's that?" He asked instead, pointing to her mug. Monroe frowned, before pushing her chair back until she was at the counter. She grabbed a box and hauled herself back to the table. Loki took the box from her and read it.

"Tea. What's that?" Monroe frowned and held up her mug. Loki had completely forgotten she didn't speak. Before he could say anything else, Stark popped his head in.

"Hey, Monroe, wanna play my game? Thor's still mad about losing last time." Monroe nodded and carried her mug out of the room. Loki watched them leave. Something about what the agent had said the previous night crossed his mind. He wanted to know her story. Why she refused to speak, more importantly. So, he followed the two into the main room and plopped himself next to a grumpy looking Thor. "Loki, can you believe it?" He asked once the God of Mischief had settled himself. "I tell you, the Man of Iron cheated." Loki rolled his eyes, staring at the screen. "Grow up, Thor," he grumbled. He focused himself on Monroe, who was smashing buttons on her controller. Stark let out a triumphant laugh, and she tossed the controller away. "Awe, what's wrong? Hate losing?" Stark asked. When Monroe narrowed her eyes at him, he raised his hands. "Okay, sheesh! Save your death glares for someone else." Loki watched as the young agent stood and walked off towards the elevator. He quickly stood and followed her. He slipped into the elevator behind her, earning a surprised look.

"Look, I get you don't talk and everything, but you did yesterday," Loki said, pressing the 'close' button. Monroe shot him a look but didn't respond. He kept a stern gaze on her from across the elevator. "Could you at least tell me your first name?" He asked after a moment. Monroe looked up from the ground and set her gaze on him. Loki waited several moments, expecting to get an answer, but he didn't. "Oh, so that's how it is. I see." He smirked at her, then began pressing all the buttons on the elevator. The young agent behind him pushed him away from the buttons, frowning. "We aren't leaving until you answer me," he stated simply. Monroe wore a look of pure rage but kept her silence. Loki gave a fake yawn and crossed his arms, keeping the agents gaze. "I don't know about you, but I have all day." He watched as Monroe sighed, and turned towards the door. "Katrina," she said after a moment. "My name's Katrina." Loki smiled. "Now, was that so hard?" He asked, straightening. When she didn't answer, he sighed. "Back to the silent treatment, huh?" She glared up at him again, and he smirked in response. At least he was getting somewhere.

 **Library, Stark Towers, New York**

Katrina let out a short sigh of relief as the elevator doors slid open. She brushed past Loki and make her way to her usual spot. She could tell Loki was following her; he wasn't being very quiet about it. She stopped and whipped around to him. The God smirked and raised his hands.

"Ah, I have been discovered," he said sarcastically. Katrina blinked coldly at him. He sighed. "You know, your glares aren't as terrifying as everyone else makes them seem," he added, glancing around at the books. Katrina didn't answer. Instead, she turned and made for her quiet spot on the far side of the library. To her surprise, Loki didn't follow. She grabbed the reports she was supposed to be working on that she had hid under a desk and got to work, popping in some earbuds.

She continued her work for several minutes after that, humming slightly to the song she was listening too. Most of the time she couldn't help her humming; it just happened. But she made sure to only listen to music alone, so no one had to hear her voice. Faintly, she heard footsteps. She slowly pulled out an earbud and spun in her chair to find Loki standing there with a file in hand. Katrina felt her heart sink as she read the name on the front; _Katrina Grace Monroe._ She slowly turned her gaze on the man who held her life story in his hands.

"W-where did you get that?" She rasped softly. Loki shrugged. "In the back," he responded, flipping through it. "It's called research. You won't tell me, so I'll find out myself. Unless," he paused and glanced up at her, "you'd like to tell me yourself?" Katrina clenched her teeth and lowered her eyes to the ground. It didn't matter what she did anymore. He had the file. He'd know either way. _It'd be better if I just tell him,_ she decided reluctantly. _That way it won't seem like I'm as much of a monster._ With a deep breath, she met his gaze. "Fine," she huffed. "Sit and I'll tell you. Put the file down," she added, nodding to the table beside her. Loki smiled and tossed the file on the table; it slid across to the other end. He then pulled up a chair and sat, keeping eye contact with her. Katrina muttered something to herself, before quickly glancing at the ceiling. "JARVIS, please stop recording." There was a pause, before, " _I'm afraid you do not have the authority to do that._ " Katrina narrowed her eyes. _Awesome._ She glanced over at Loki, who was staring at her expectantly.

"Well?" He prompted. She sighed. "I'm going, I'm going," she mumbled. After playing with her hands for a moment, she spoke.

"When I was seven years old, my dad took me and moved from Toronto Canada to New York—here, of course. When I was twelve, my father disappeared. Everyone just assumed he was dead." She glanced down at the floor. This was a very bad idea. Sadly, she had no choice but to continue. "There was no way in hell I was letting myself be thrown into foster care, so I hid out on the streets. I stole for survival. I threatened people to save my own life. That's how things worked out there; I learnt that pretty quickly." She began anxiously twisting her chair with her feet from one side to the other. "One day," she sighed, "I was approached by a well-known thug. I don't remember his name, but he was shady as fuck. He offered me a deal; if I could pull off an assassination without getting caught, he'd spread the word about me and I'd get more job offers like that one." Katrina took a shaky breath. "I killed someone. They probably didn't even do anything wrong. They probably had a family, a life, friends. And yet I still slit their throat in cold blood. For _money._ If that doesn't make me a murderous monster, I don't know what does." The young agent raised her gaze to Loki, who was still staring intently at her.

She let the silence ring out for a couple more heartbeats before she continued. "I got more jobs, as the guy said. I kept killing, I kept hiding, I kept running. I trained with daggers, I trained my silence—I _kept_ my silence. I've murdered more people than I can count, all for a reason I didn't know. When I was sixteen, I received an assassination request for a man called Norman Osborn. Everything was going according to plan; I had him. Something went wrong. I—I killed the wrong person. The man I killed had a family. They watched it happen. They watched me snap his neck. Instead of the police, though, I dealt with SHIELD instead. Out of all things, they offered me a job. A _real_ job. That's when I began working for SHIELD. God, that seems like so long ago now," she added quietly. "That still didn't change the fact that every agent I passed looked at me like I was a monster. Of course, I was. It also didn't help that I was selectively mute. I guess they assumed the worst of it." Katrina sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Ah, yes, almost forgot. Within the first year of working here, I discovered my father worked for SHIELD. He went missing on a mission to South Korea. I guess that's not really important, but its still a fact. He could still be alive, for fucks sake." She trained her gaze on Loki, who actually looked surprise. There was something else, though. He felt _pity_ for her. That little bastard thought she was some broken girl in need of fixing. Katrina glared at him, and he narrowed his eyes. "I swear to God, if you apologize for what I just said I'll separate your head from your body and feed it to Thor. And," She added, leaning forwards, "tell anyone else what I just told you and I'll slit your throat in your sleep. Deal?" Loki contemplated for a moment, before sighing. "Fine, whatever," he muttered. She twisted back to her reports. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have reports to finish." With that, she popped her earbuds back in and continued her assignment, enjoying the feeling of not using her voice.

 **Living Room, Stark Tower, New York**

Tony stared at his tablet in disbelief. JARVIS had contacted him informing him of an attempt to shut down his recording system in the library. So, he'd checked the security cams to see who it was. When he saw who spoke, his jaw dropped. It was Monroe. She actually _spoke._ Then she'd started to spill her life story to none other than Loki. Out of all people, she chose the God of Lies. Steve must have noticed how he was staring at the tablet, because soon he was peeking over his shoulder.

"What're you gaping at?" He asked. The gasp that erupted from his mouth was clearly audible. "D-did she just—talk?" Steve spluttered, straightening. Thor, who was trying to beat Clint in the video game Tony had created, glanced over.

"What are you two doing?" He asked. Clint turned too, pausing the game. "I bet he's spying on the receptionist again," the archer joked. Clint stood and sat himself next to Tony, so he could get a good look at what the two Avengers were staring at. Thor joined them curiously. Thor blinked in confusion, while Clint laughed. "Man, Tony, did you alter your cams? I'm positive I just saw Agent Silent but Deadly talk." Tony glanced at him. "I didn't do anything. Monroe _did_ just talk." Clint frowned. "Oh, wow." Thor took the tablet from Tony's hand to get a better look. "Hey—that's expensive, Thor! You break it you buy it!" Tony snapped, while Thor just ignored him. "Is that Loki?" He boomed, tilting the screen a little. Clint flopped over Tony's lap to look. "Wait, what?" He asked, straining to see. Tony let out a grunt. "Get off," he huffed, pushing Clint back to his side. The billionaire snatched his tablet back and turned it off just as Monroe was finishing her story. "That's enough of that. We'll leave it alone for now. She tried to turn to cameras off, so she obviously doesn't want anybody to know." Tony stated firmly as if he was speaking to small children. Thor frowned. "If she didn't want anyone to know, why would she tell Loki?" Tony glared at him. "Leave it alone, Thor." With that last word, he heaved himself from his sandwiched position and left the room.

 **Loki's Room, Stark Tower, New York**

 _Loki found himself standing in a cloud of mist so thick he couldn't see anything past it. His heart was racing for a reason he was unsure of. Before he could get a good look at his surroundings, a sudden sharp pain in his head made him screech. He dropped to his knees and closed his eyes, his hand immediately finding his hair and gripping onto it. His mind was too foggy to think properly._

" _You thought you could run,_ Odinson _?" An all-too familiar voice sneered. The Mad Titan towered over Loki's kneeling frame, power reflecting from the galaxy in his eyes. "Nobody fails me and lives." The pain in Loki's head became sharper, and he clenched his teeth in an attempt not to scream again. "I did tell you there is nowhere I can't find you? You should have heeded my warning more carefully, Loki." Loki slowly raised his green gaze to meet Thanos', still clutching his head. The mist surrounding the pair lifted, and Loki could see the remains of Thanos' force lined up, clearly armed for a fight. Loki let his gaze flicker to the Mad Titan who was smiling evilly._

" _What do you want?" He managed, each word a struggle. Thanos just chuckled._

" _Haven't I made that clear?" The Mad Titan closed his fist, another stabbing pain slicing through his head. Loki couldn't hold back his blood-curdling scream of pain this time._

Loki sat up panting, his body doused in sweat. His eyes darted around the room, ensuring the Titan was nowhere to be seen. He let his breathing slow as his door swung open. Thor stomped in, Mjolnir clutched in his hand.

"Loki! What's wrong?" He demanded. Loki frowned. He must have screamed in his sleep.

"Nothing, you brute!" Loki snapped a little too quickly. Thor didn't seem convinced, but he didn't press either. "Get out, will you?" Loki sighed, his gaze hardening. Thor shrugged and backed out. The sound of the Thunder God's door closing could be heard from farther down the hall. Loki, certain that Thor was gone, let out a shuddering breath. His dream only confirmed what SHIELD had suspected; Thanos was plotting an attack on Earth. If he wasn't, why bother Loki? It'd been so long since the failed attack on New York and The Mad Titan had only come to him now. Plus, he had even seen the army prepared for the upcoming battle. He sighed and slipped out of his bed. He crept into the Kitchen and sat in a chair, holding his head on his hands. The God of Mischief was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't even notice Katrina. She poked him, causing him to raise his head.

"What?" He muttered bitterly. The agent frowned and poked his arm again. He responded by slapping her hand away. "I said, what do you want?" Loki demanded, sharper than before. Katrina scanned the room, ensuring nobody was around, before murmuring, "Why are you up?" Loki frowned. "Why is that any of your concern?" The young girl shrugged. "Not everyone wakes up at five-thirty in the morning," she responded quietly. Loki narrowed his eyes. "Well, why are you awake at this hour?" He countered. Katrina looked to a different part of the kitchen to avoid Loki's gaze. He huffed. "Fine, don't tell me. I'll find out soon enough." With that, Loki pushed his chair back and made for his room, slamming the door shut behind him. He made for the bookshelf, clapping his hands softly as he went; the light switch on the other side of the room flicked on, and the room was illuminated with light.

Almost certain he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, Loki read quietly for the next couple of hours. As he was slowly flipping the page, there was a knock at the door. Before he could react, it slid open. Thor popped his head in, scanning for his younger brother. When he spotted him, he smiled and entered.

"Brother, would you like to tell me what happened?" He asked, plopping himself on the foot on Loki's bed. Loki scowled. "First, I'm not your brother. When you get that fact through your thick skull, be sure to inform me. Second, my business is none of yours." Thor frowned at Loki's bitter retort. "Loki, you are my brother! Blood doesn't bond us. It is the connection we formed before the truth was revealed that matters!" The Thunder God protested, frowning. Loki snorted. "That connection died along with your brother. I am no Odinson, as you are. I am nothing but a monstrous Jotun on a hunt for blood." He tossed his book onto the floor next to his bed. "Get out, Thor. I don't want to hear your pleas." Thor frowned. "No, I won't leave. In fact, I'm going to lock you in with me until you tell me what's wrong," He retorted, pushing the door shut. Loki growled and slipped off his bed, his hands tightened in fists.

"Thor," he said, his tone slow but laced with venom, "open that door." Thor shook his head stubbornly. "Not until you tell me why you were screaming so early in the morning!" Loki rolled his eyes. He could barely stand more than three minutes with Thor. The rest of the day didn't sound too pleasing. Of course, neither did admitting his weaknesses. "Thor," Loki repeated, his tone full of warning. Thor leaned against the door, eyes narrowed. "I shall wait here for as long as need be, Loki," He declared, earning a growl from Loki. Without warning, Loki flung a dagger that seemed to appear from thin air at Thor. He lifted his hand out of the way as the blade dug itself into the door. "Ah, that was close," Thor commented, shuffling away from the dagger. Loki narrowed his eyes coldly and flung two more of his daggers at Thor. They pinned him against the door, very close to each of his arms. "Well, brother, I must admit that your aim is extraordinary," Thor's voice was bright despite how close he was to getting impaled. Loki frowned. "Something else you haven't taken to time to notice. I shall add that to my list." Thor sighed and shook his head. "Loki, will you please just tell me? You are refusing, and it is only making me more suspicious." Loki shot another dagger in Thor's direction, aimed just next to the older god's head. Thor flinched, craning his neck to the side. With a rush of muttered curses, Loki let his hands flop to his sides. "Fine," he grumbled, "but you shall speak of this to no one." He was really going to do it? Just like that? Give in to Thor's pleas as if he were some child? Loki mentally scolded himself. He had gotten into the habit of listening to Thor when he spoke like that, despite his efforts to crush whatever was left of Loki Odinson—which he was not. Not anymore, at least. Thor was smiling at Loki's sudden agreement, and he pried himself from the door. "That's the spirit, Loki! And worry not; what you tell me shall not leave this room. I swear to Odin, Allfather," Thor declared with a bright smile. Loki rolled his eyes. "It was simply a dream," Loki informed him coldly. Thor frowned. "Yes, but that's not the whole truth, is it?" He crossed his arms. "Otherwise, you would have just told me that to begin with." Loki narrowed his eyes, then sighed. There was no point of this anymore. Thor was irritating, and all he wanted was the brute to leave him alone. "Fine!" He snapped. "Thanos is preparing his attack. Our mind link somehow remains, regardless of the fact I do not have possession of my scepter." He glared at Thor, his gaze as sharp as daggers. "You know what you wanted, now get out!" Thor's smile had faded. "Loki, you know you can't hide this. If Thanos is attacking, then I shall inform the rest of the team!" Loki's lip curled in a sneer. "Yes, do that. Do not mention the small fact that I was afraid, or I will do more than just pin you to my door next time." Thor nodded. "Of course, brother. You may leave now." Loki rolled his eyes. "Yes, thank you for your permission Thor. How kind of you!" He brushed past Thor and made his way into the living room.

 **Living Room, Stark Tower, New York**

Katrina sat on the sofa, watching Tony and Steve argue.

"I don't want that hopeless romantic, Johnny, in my penthouse!" Tony was arguing.

"It's only fair the Fantastic Four are aware of the oncoming threat," Steve pointed out, much calmer than Tony.

"Oh, so you like Johnny now?" Katrina rolled her eyes and heaved herself from her position. She pushed herself between the two Avengers, separating them. Tony glared over her shoulder at Steve, who returned the look.

"I agree with Steve," Banner spoke up from where he was standing on the other side of the room. Tony glanced back at him, then sighed. "Fine, whatever. But if he sets something on fire, both of you are paying for the damage." Steve frowned as Tony disappeared in the direction of his bar. Katrina sighed, and glanced around. It was quite early in the morning. Not many were awake yet; just her, Thor, Tony, Steve and Banner that she knew of. That's when she watched Loki storm out onto the balcony. The young agent frowned. Whatever had worked the God up like that, she didn't feel like finding out. Instead, she plopped herself back on the sofa next to Steve and remained there for the rest of the morning.

A few hours later, JARVIS had informed the team of Dr. Richards and the rest of his crew's arrival. Tony had reluctantly told his AI to let them up, and the Fantastic Four was now lined up in his main living room. Katrina sat awkwardly on the sofa as they all switched their gazes to her.

"I get this whole threatened by some purple alien thing, but why would we have an Agent of SHIELD here? What use could she possibly be?" Katrina narrowed her eyes at Dr. Richard as he spoke. It was true that she wasn't as useful on the battlefield like the four Mutants were, but she wasn't a complete waste of flesh. Johnny, the one Katrina knew as the Human Torch, nudged his companion. "Ah, why would you say that, Rich? I'm sure she has as much skill as she does beauty!" That sentence earned an eye roll from everyone in the room except Bruce. "Please stop flirting with the mute agent," Tony muttered, sipping his alcoholic beverage. Four pairs of eyes trained on Katrina, making her want to disappear. _Of course he'd mention that,_ she thought scornfully. "I was wondering why she was so quiet," Richards commented. Katrina shrugged, turning her attention to the large windows behind him. She could see Loki sitting out of the balcony, staring down at the city. If only she could join him. Anything to get away from Johnny Storm, who seemed desperate for even a slight blush from her.

As the rest of the team filled in the four new additions to their fighting force, Katrina had taken to scrolling through her phone. After they were finished, she excused herself to the kitchen for a glass of water. What she wasn't suspecting, however, was to find Johnny following her.

"So, how'd you lose your voice?" He asked once he'd caught up to her. Katrina glanced back at him but didn't respond. As much as she'd love to make some sort of retort, she held her tongue. Not out of fear of the mutant, but out of anxiety. If she said the wrong thing, the mutant was sure to burst into flames. Right? She focused her thoughts on pouring her glass of water she originally set out to do. Johnny appeared beside her, awfully close. "Ah, right. Why would I ask that? You won't respond," He said softly into her ear. She pushed him away, shuffling over to the sink. The man obviously couldn't take a hint, because he followed. "Aw, come on. Don't be like that!" He protested, grabbing her wrist. She placed down her glass and turned to face him, her eyes cold. "Ooh, feisty one!" He commented with a smirk. She trying to pry her hand free of his grasp, but he held on firmly. "I just wanted to know what you were doing this Friday?" Katrina almost bared her teeth at him like a dog.

Before she could do anything else to attempt to free herself, she heard footsteps stop at the doorway. She whipped her head around, relieved. Hopefully, whoever it was would tell Johnny to fuck off. Who she found, though, was Loki. He was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed.

"I believe she wants you to let go," Loki commented, his cold gaze trained on Johnny. The mutant who held her laughed. "And how would you know that, Mr. Daddy Issues? Are you just protecting her because you're into her?" He laughed again, before adding, "No, I highly doubt that. Such a high specimen like yourself could not be troubled by such a small being like her." So, he just called her short. It wasn't a lie; she was quite small. But it was an insult, nonetheless. Loki's gaze hardened. "How dare you imply such a thing about me?" He demanded. Johnny shrugged. "You obviously have a very large ego. Why else would you douse yourself in cologne? I bet you kiss your reflection whenever you see yourself in the mirror. Plus, you proved your ego is huge when you tried to take over New York and rule it as our King. That only comes from someone who thinks highly of themselves." At that comment, Loki had clearly lost all his patience. He whipped out with an arm, sending a dagger flying towards the mutant. Johnny muttered, "Flame on." His body burst into flames, Katrina's arm with it. She let out a screech of pain and cradled the burnt arm. Pain crawled along her wrist up to her elbow. Loki and Johnny were now having an all-out fight, shooting insults at each other as they did. Katrina's scream, however, had attracted the attention of everyone in the neighboring room. Tony, Steve, and Dr. Richards appeared at the doorway. Tony spotted the injured agent and was at her side in an instant, inspecting the burn, while Steve called for Banner in the other room. Richards had gone to calm Johnny down. Steve went to help him after Bruce hurried into the kitchen.

Katrina gingerly held out her wound to show Bruce. The skin was red and puffy, and the color was steadily crawling up her arm. "We need water or something!" Bruce demanded, glancing around. "Anything cold!" Before Tony could run to his bar, where he kept many ice cubes for his beverages, Loki knelt at Katrina's side. At first, she was confused. How would he be able to help? Then, she noticed his pale skin steadily fading to blue. It started at his fingertips, before crawling up his arm and engulfing his face. His green eyes faded to a vibrant red; it was like he had been wearing a mask the entire time. Loki held out his hand and rested it on Katrina's burn. His skin was cold. Extremely cold. It was soothing at first, his cold skin against her burning arm. But another stab of pain made her yelp and withdraw her arm. His skin was too cold for hers, and the soothing sensation had switched to pain. Loki blinked in confusion, as if wondering what he had done wrong. There was something different about him. It was as if his ego had been peeled away with his usual apppearance. His eyes carried something different. It was a sense of loneliness. There was pain, anger, grief, and fear in this new version of his eyes.

Loki just stared at her for several moments, before he seemed to realize what was happening. Katrina watched as he stood, his blue skin retreating and being replaced by his usual pale tone. Thor was standing behind the God, his eyes laced with shock. Before anyone could say anything else, Loki stormed out of the room. Tony broke the silence.

"Thor, your brother is a smurf?" He asked, immediately turning to the God of Thunder. Thor shook his head. "No. That was Loki's Jotun form. Though, I am unsure as to why he used it. Loki hates that side of himself." Katrina glanced down at her arm. The red was gone, instead replaced by her usual fair skin-tone. Bruce went to check on it again, turning her arm over to see all sides. "Amazing," he breathed. Katrina couldn't take her eyes off the doorway, though. Loki had just turned _blue_ , for god's sake! At that moment, she realized there was so much she didn't know about Loki, just as he didn't know too much about her. Maybe she should change that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 ~ He Still Can't See**

 **Loki's Room, Stark Tower, New York**

Loki let out a roar, clenching his fists. As if it were a command, several pieces of furniture around the room smashed into the nearest wall. The God of Mischief stomped over to the nearest chair and tossed it to the other side of the room, rage giving him enough force to make a dent in the wall with it. As quickly as his tantrum started, it stopped. Loki sat with his knees to his chest, leaning against the wall. Why would he do that? He willingly used his Jotun form—on Katrina, for Odin's sake! The part of his life he had run from for years, the one he hated Odin for hiding, he just willingly showed it to everyone in that room. He was still unsure of what drove him to do it. He was weak. A coward. A worthless monster.

His door slid open. Loki expected to see Thor, but he didn't. Instead, Monroe stepped over the wreckage that was his bedroom. She seemed to study Loki for a moment, before pressing the door closed and coming to sit next to him.

"What do you want?" Loki grumbled, refusing her meet her gaze. He heard Katrina sigh. "I heard some sort of crash and wanted to make sure you didn't jump out a window or something." Humour. That was something he never expected to see her use when she spoke. Loki couldn't help but smile. Maybe she was opening up to him after all. "Well, you'll be glad to know that I am still here, and my windows are in fact intact," he responded with a slight hint of laughter. He glanced over at her, finally deciding to meet her gaze. She smiled lightly at him, which he returned. "How's your arm?" He asked, deciding to change the subject from him to her. Katrina shrugged and held out her arm for him to look at. "Much better, thanks to your... what did Thor call it? Jordan form?" Loki snorted. "Jotun form," he corrected, turning her arm over to see each side. She was right; it's previous puffiness had disappeared. He let her have her arm back, and she smiled. "So, when were you going to tell me about this _Jotun_ form of yours?" She asked suddenly. Loki frowned. "Never," He responded quietly. Katrina raised an eyebrow. "Never? I told you my story. Why can't you tell me yours?" She had a point, Loki reflected. But Loki had already revealed enough about himself that he'd rather keep from any mortal minds. Yet, he had gone and revealed his Jotun form.

Loki pushed himself to his feet, glaring down at her. He refused to show any sign of weakness to this mortal, regardless of what she'd told him. "I don't have to do anything," he snapped. Katrina frowned, and stood with him. "I don't speak to anyone but you, yet you still don't trust me?" Her tone held some hurt behind it, and Loki picked his way over his busted furniture to hold open the door for her. "You should go," he muttered darkly, a shadow flitting over his eyes. Katrina frowned, then stepped out into the hallway.

"I will get you to tell me," she declared. Loki tilted his head slightly. "That seems highly unlikely, _Milady._ Have a good rest of your day, Katrina." With that, he closed the door and held it shut. He remained there for several moments, before retreating to his bed.

Loki sat, staring at the wreckage that was his quarters for hours. The sun had begun to set when there was a soft knock on the door. Loki rolled his eyes, assuming it was Katrina. He clambered off his bed and opened the door.

"Katrina, I already told you, I—" he stopped mid-sentence when his eyes rested on Thor. He stood in front of the small crack between his door and the wall, hiding his room. Thor would undoubtedly fuss about the mess Loki had made. Not because he cared about cleanliness, but because he knew if there was a mess in Loki's quarters than something was wrong. Loki didn't feel like dealing with Thor's pressing, which was why he hid it.

"Brother," Loki greeted coldly. Thor smiled. "I just came to check on you. Katrina came out of your room a little while ago, looking quite… taken aback, if you will." Loki narrowed his eyes. "Why would you care, anyways?" Thor shrugged. "Just curiosity, I guess," he said, before trying to peek over Loki's shoulder. "What are you hiding back there?" He demanded. Loki slipped out of his room and closed the door behind him. "Nothing of your concern," he responded coolly. Thor raised a blonde brow suspiciously but didn't question it any further. "Anyways, I was sent to inform you about a mission we are setting out on. Recon, I think Romanoff called it. Just a quick In-and-out, for information. Or, something like that." The Thunderer shrugged. "Anyways, we are all meeting in the main room in about an hour or so." Loki nodded slowly, murmuring, "Alright, I'll be there." Thor smiled, clearly pleased at the response he received, and left Loki standing alone outside his bedroom door.

 **Training Room, Stark Tower, New York**

Katrina had been sparring against one of Tony's droid thingy's for almost an hour now. They were surprisingly hard to defeat, considering they are man-made. But, much to Katrina's surprise, she found herself almost pinned against a wall several times. Fighting drones is a great way of releasing your anger, especially when that anger is targeted at a blueberry that also happens to be the God of Mischief. Katrina had shared _so much_ with that bastard, yet Loki refused to even tell her the smallest things. Besides, it was him who decided to show that new side of himself in the first place. If he didn't want anyone to know, why even bother with it?

The young SHIELD agent had been so caught up in her thoughts and avoiding the training bot's blows, she hadn't even noticed JARVIS trying to get her attention. " _Agent Monroe, you are needed in the main room,"_ the AI was saying. Katrina disabled the training session and turned to the door. She waved at the camera set up in the corner that was undoubtably for JARVIS, signaling that she was on her way.

When she entered the living room, she noticed everyone in the tower was assembled there—well, all the Avengers at least. The receptionists and workers within the tower were not allowed on these few levels, as they were classified for the reasons of the Avengers. It was a good reason, and Katrina felt special she had able access. As she entered, everyone seemed to stop what they were doing and watch her. She gave a small wave and wedged herself between Loki and Thor who were giving each other death glares. Obviously the two had recently fought, otherwise the deadly glares would only be coming from Loki. As she settled herself between the two Gods, they each gave her an annoyed look. She shrugged it off and whipped out her phone, patiently waiting for this meeting, by the look of it, to start.

Loki had started to peer over her shoulder curiously. Katrina glanced up at him, amusement clear in her crystal blue eyes. "What in the nine realms is that thing?" He whispered to her. She glanced around the room; everyone else seemed occupied with conversations or something else, so she decided it was safe. "It's called a phone," she whispered back. "Its basically for entertainment, but people communicate through it too." Loki nodded contently and continued to watch as Katrina quietly played Candy Crush. Only Tony clapping his hands brought her back to the room.

"Alright, people, here's the deal!" He began, glancing around the room. Katrina quietly slid her phone into her pocket as he continued. "Basically, SHIELD has uncovered someone who they suspect is working for Thanos. Either Fury refuses to get off his ass or is not suited for the job because we get to go in and investigate." Katrina narrowed her eyes. He was talking lowly about SHIELD right in front of a SHIELD agent. Not that she cared, of course. Tony smiled and waved his hands with a little "Yay!"

Steve, who had rolled his eyes at Tony's humour, stood. He glanced slightly at Katrina but addressed Stark. "So, essentially, this would be considered a stealth mission?" When Tony shrugged, Steve rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the information. I'll assume it's stealth then, meaning the lead for the mission would go to Katrina." Katrina frowned. First mission, and she had to lead this team? She couldn't even speak. How would she give orders? She was positive these people hadn't even heard of sign language, let alone learnt it. Except for maybe Cap. He seemed like that kind of guy.

Loki, as if reading the young agent's thoughts, spoke up. "She's mute. How'll she lead?" Katrina gave a grateful glance to the God. Steve frowned, as if he had never even thought of that. Natasha, who was leaning against a wall on the far end of the room, rolled her eyes. "Seriously, did you guys forget that I happen to be a SHIELD agent too? All of us were trained for stealth, even if Monroe is better at it. I could give the orders, or Clint could." The archer next to her shot her a glance. "Me? I think it'd be better if you led stealth. For obvious reasons, of course. I'm better as the eyes." Natasha shrugged. "Alright, fine then. If that's okay with you, Monroe, I'd be glad to lead for you." Katrina agreed with a smile and eager nod. Natasha returned the smile. "Alright, it's settled then," she declared. Steve made his way out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "Suit up."

Katrina had quickly changed into her SHIELD uniform and had now taken to tying her short hair up. She was standing in the bathroom, holding a hair clip in her mouth and gathering up her hair. From the mirror, she watched Loki peek in. When he noticed Katrina, he seemed to back off a bit. "I don't, bite, you know," she called out softly. He reappeared. "I never said you did," he retorted. Katrina sighed, pulling her hair through the hair tie. "What's up?" Loki frowned, looking confused for a moment. "What are you doing?" She sighed. She had finished her hair and turned to him, getting a good look at his appearance. He was wearing something like what she had seen in the files on the New York attack, but without all the gold armour and horns. "I was looking for Thor," Loki responded. "I don't suppose you know where he is?" Katrina shrugged, turning back to the mirror to clip he stray hairs at the back of her head. "Can't say I do, but I suggest the kitchen. He was eyeing up the Chinese leftovers Tony has in the fridge." She turned back to him with a smirk. "I wonder what look he would have on his face when he finds out I ate it all?" Loki frowned. "You've started a war if that's the case," he muttered. Raising his voice, he added a quick "Thanks," before he disappeared again.

The team had met up again on the Quinjet JARVIS had kindly piloted to the landing pad. Katrina sat with her knees against her chest, entertaining herself by listening to the sound of the engines the jet created. It would take several hours to reach their destination in Bordeaux, France, and Katrina quite frankly didn't think she would enjoy the trip. Drowning out her source of entertainment was the sound of Tony and Steve arguing in the cockpit. It was about something stupid, too. She wasn't exactly sure what it was, but it was still annoying. She could tell everyone else was fed up, too, considering the looks on their faces. Everyone except Thor, because he had no clue what was going on. Thor was too busy bugging Loki. Loki, however, was shuffling closer to Katrina to avoid his brother's poking. Katrina couldn't help the quiet laugh that escaped her mouth. "Help!" He yelped to her, swatting Thor's hand away. Thor frowned. "Loki, I just want to know!" He complained. They were acting like children, which was the best source of entertainment. Katrina shoved Loki away with a short snort of laughter. "Nah, you got it," she whispered. Thor immediately stopped what he was doing and began staring at her. She frowned. Thor heard that. Loki noticed his brother's look, too, and quickly shot Katrina an apologetic glance. She shrugged and looked to the ground, leaving Loki and Thor to do whatever they did, which was act like small children apparently.

 **Bordeaux, France**

Loki quietly followed Katrina out of the Quinjet. Before they'd left, the Widow had divided everyone into teams. He, luckily enough, was placed with Katrina. Probably because of the fact his magic could keep up with the young agent's skill. Also, both he and Katrina specialised in daggers. Katrina made a sharp right, keeping low. Loki mirrored her, a dagger held firmly in his hand. Its blade glinted slightly in the dull light.

They made a sharp stop just behind a building. Loki stayed in his crouched position, focused on the noises around them. The area was quiet. Too quiet. Katrina seemed to be listening, too.

"This is one of the most popular cities in France," she murmured. Loki frowned. "What?" His tone was full of confusion, and Katrina twisted to face him. "Bordeaux. It's a famous city in France. Yet it's so... empty." She glanced up suddenly. Loki noticed her reach for one of her blades, so he tightened his grip on his own dagger and slowly came up beside her. "What is it?" He whispered, his voice barely audible. She didn't answer. Instead, Loki watched as Katrina stood full height and peered around the corner. Loki stood as well, pressing himself against the wall. "There's someone coming. They're armed, by the sound of it," Katrina finally whispered. "We need a distraction." Loki let a smirk slide across his face. "How big of a distraction, exactly?" He asked, the glint in his eyes clearly catching the young agent's attention. She smiled, as if remembering who she was talking too. "Nothing too eye-catching. We only want the one out of here." Loki nodded. "I think I can manage that," he breathed after a moment.

With one last smirk at Katrina, he let his form change. He shrank, taking on the appearance of a black cat. He flicked an ear at Katrina, before quickly scrambling out into the open. He got a better look at their surroundings. The person she had heard; a man, holding a very large looking weapon. He thought it was a gun from the structure of it but couldn't be sure. The man noticed him, and Loki let out a loud _meow._ "Ah! Chat stupide! Je pensais que nous les avions tous elimines!" He exclaimed quite loudly, and Loki winced. He scrambled out of the way as the armed man charged, trying to grab him. Loki hissed, drawing his tail out of the way as the man reached out again. He led the man away, neatly dodging his attempts to stop him. Once he was sure he was far enough, Loki quickly slipped into the shadows and found Katrina as quickly as possible.

She hadn't gone too far from their original spot. Loki approached quickly, his paw steps echoing around the empty streets. "Well done!" She praised quietly, running a hand along his fur. He narrowed his eyes and, with a sharp green light, he was towering over her again. "Excuse me, did you just _pet_ me?" He demanded. Katrina shrugged and turned away without responding. Loki scoffed and followed her as she quickly slipped to the building they had been circling. Katrina stepped aside to reveal a vent shaft. Smiling, she waved her hands in a dramatic was of presenting it. "After you, your highness!" Loki scoffed and took off the vent's cover. "Thanks," he mumbled, "but I don't think I'll fit." Katrina frowned. "Just turn back into a cat or something! I won't let your size compromise this mission," She declared stubbornly. Loki muttered something to himself, before letting himself shift into the same cat as before. "Ah, much better! Now I don't have to here you complain. Off you go, Lokitty!" She pointed to the vent as she spoke, clearly finding his form amusing. Loki let out a warning hiss, before squeezing into the vent. His claws made a weird noise along it, and he wondered if this was even a good idea.

Behind him, Katrina was placing the vent cover back where it belonged as to not look suspicious. She then slithered after the cat version of her comrade, smirking as he lashed his tail in her face. They quickly travelled through the shafts until they reached their desired location. Now all they had to do was wait for Stark to drive the suspect from the office, and Katrina and Loki could get what they needed. If he even had it, that is. They weren't even sure if this guy was working for Thanos as had been suggested. Their mission was based on a hunch that they couldn't even back up. "Better safe than sorry," Steve had said. Loki glanced over at Katrina as they gazed through the openings. Below, he could just make out Tony as he attempted to lure the target out of his office. He wasn't having it, though, which caused Loki to flatten his ears. He didn't want to spend any more time in this form, and especially not in this vent.

Finally, Tony and the target left the room. Katrina removed the vent cover and dropped down. Loki watched with amusement as she stumbled and barely kept her balance. He, however, leapt down gracefully and shifted form mid-air. He landed neatly and ran a hand through his hair. "Now, what exactly are we looking for?" He asked, pulling out one book after the other on the bookshelf on the far end of the room. "Anything," Katrina responded. "Something that will prove his alliance with big, purple and ugly." Loki raised an eyebrow. "I don't suppose you mean the Mad Titan?" He asked slowly. Katrina grunted in response. "Mad is right. You'd have to be mad to try and lead an attack on a planet full of heroes," Katrina laughed. Loki, however, wasn't laughing. She hadn't seen Thanos like he had. He was _dangerous._ They continued his search in silence until Katrina let out a small " _Aha!"_ from the other side of the room. Loki turned. "What is it?" He asked, coming to stand beside her. She was holding a piece of paper in her hand. "An email he'd printed off," Katrina replied with a smirk. "To the Higher-ups of his company. He's referring to someone who is very powerful that he is having a meeting with, so he won't be able to attend to business matters." She glanced up at Loki, her eyes shining. "This is the best lead we're going to get." Loki took the paper from her and read it. "This is in another language," he commented. Katrina shrugged. "What can I say? Canadians know French." Loki narrowed his eyes, not understanding one bit. Before he could ask, there was a loud bump outside. "Shit!" Katrina whispered. "We need to go." Loki nodded. She took the paper from him and hurried to their exit. Loki watched as she strained her neck upwards hopelessly. "Curse genetics," she muttered. "A little help?" Loki quickly gave her a boost up, before crawling up next to her. The vent was extremely small for his size, and he cursed grumpily. "Oh, for God's sake, turn into a cat already!" Katrina whispered harshly, placing the vent cover back where it belonged. "I have limits, you know!" Loki whispered back. "I've used up all I can today, unless you want to carry me out." Katrina's eyes sparkled mischievously, which was not a good sign at all. "Alright, Mr. Tough-Guy! I'll carry you back." Loki raised his eyebrow. "Oh, really now? How about I just make do with what I have and save myself the embarrassment?" He asked, shuffling along in the vent. Katrina scoffed from behind him. "If you don't switch, we'll be compromised. Think about your ego later!" Loki cursed silently and shifted into his cat form. He staggered, before glancing back at Katrina. She was smiling, and Loki wondered if she actually preferred him in this form. He sure didn't. With what little energy he could muster, Loki practically dragged himself through the shafts until they reached the way they had come.

 **Bordeaux, France**

Katrina snickered as cat Loki tried to headbutt the vent cover with little success. "Move your fat ass and I'll open it!" She whispered up to him. Loki let out yet another warning hiss but pressed himself to one side of the shaft, so Katrina could wiggle through. She kicked the cover off and scrambled out.

When she had straightened, she turned back down to the vent. Loki hadn't come out. "For gods sake," she muttered, crouching back down to grab him. He was flopped, still in his cat form, in the centre of the shaft. He looked like a large black lump in the darkness. Katrina pulled him out and hurried out of the building. When they were safely outside, Katrina sat the unconscious cat Loki on the ground and poked him. A blinding green light told her he was shifting back, and Loki sat leaning against the wall. "I hate you," he muttered, his half-closed green eyes filled with annoyance. Katrina smiled. "Hate you too~!" She sing-songed happily. "Now, get up. I'm not fully carrying you because you're heavy and I'm short."

Katrina helped Loki back to their designated meeting point, the evidence still clutched firmly in her free hand. When they reached the rendezvous point, she let Loki slide onto the ground. She joined him after a moment, settling down with a grunt. If they were going to wait here, might as well read the rest of the email. She scanned the paper quickly, easily translating the French to English. The perks of being Canadian, as she always said. One sentence caught her eye. It was out of character from the rest of the email. While every other sentence was formal and business-like, this one sentence was different. It read, " _Si vous essayez de me trouver, vous n'aimerez pas ce qui se passera ensuite,_ " which translated to " _If you try to find me, you will not like what happens next_." It was strange, and yet it felt quite familiar. Before she could think more on it, however, the Quinjet hovered over their position. Katrina leapt to her feet, pulling Loki up with her. Steve was crouched at the doorway, his hand hanging out to pull the two up. He looked slightly confused as she half-dragged Loki with her. She pushed Loki in front, so he could get up, before she grabbed the Captains hand and hauled herself up. When they were safely aboard, the doors closed and the Quinjet flew out of sight.

The moment Katrina and Loki came aboard the ship, Thor, who had been sitting patiently, was at his brothers' side in an instant. "What happened?" He demanded. "Did Loki get into a fight? I don't see any blood." Katrina laughed softly and helped her comrade sit. Loki sighed and glared up at his brother. "No, Thor, I was not engaged in combat. I just used more magic than I should have." Thor frowned. "Oh," was all he said before walking off to talk with Steve.

The rest of the ride was quiet, with Loki barely conscious and her back to her mute facade. When they touched down at Stark Towers, she let Thor drag Loki off and didn't follow. Instead, she made right for the library. She wanted to know everything about this guy; where he lived, who he was related too, hell, even where he enjoyed eating. So, she spent her afternoon searching through files and reading reports. At one point, JARVIS had suggested she join everyone else for lunch, but she politely declined with a shake of her head and continued her investigation.

The man's name was Henry O'Gorman. He lived in Bordeaux, obviously, and had a wife and two children. None of that information was helpful. Katina sighed and leaned her head back in her chair. She had no lead and hadn't submitted her proof yet. Fury would be pissed, that's for sure. Defeated, Katina retired to the kitchen. She salvaged whatever was left from lunch, which wasn't much since Thor was around, and sat in the living room to listen to Tony complain. It was actually very entertaining, and since she had nothing better to do, she actually found it funny.

That was when Loki walked in. He looked to be in pretty rough shape, and Katrina found herself feeling bad for forcing him into this state. He made his way out onto the balcony, and Katrina quickly followed. "Hey," she called once the doors were safely closed. Loki turned to her. "I thought you'd be busy," he muttered. Katrina shrugged and sat next to him. "Nah, not really," she replied, pulling her knees up to her chest. Loki sighed, then glanced at her. "So, what was the real reason for keeping me in my cat form?" He asked suddenly. Katrina snorted with laughter. "Because then I don't have to hear you complain about.. everything! Also, you are _much_ cuter as a cat." Loki rolled his eyes at the answer he received. "Cute, hm?" He raised an eyebrow, and Katrina laughed again. "Yes, actually. When you're like this, your kind of.. Oh, how do I put this?" She furrowed her brows thoughtfully. "Unappealing?" He offered. "Unapproachable," Katrina decided. "You definitely look like the God of Mischief, that's for sure." Loki scoffed. "Yeah, that's kind of what I was going for," he muttered. Katrina softly punched his arm. "All I'm saying is your cuter as a cat." Loki rolled his eyes. "Mhm. Thanks."

They sat in silence for a couple minutes, staring out onto the city. After a moment, Loki finally spoke. "You know, on Asgard, I have a view much like this one from my quarters. Except it's not over New York, of course." Katrina nodded thoughtfully. She hadn't really thought about the fact Loki was Asgardian for quite some time. "What's it like? In Asgard, I mean," she asked, glancing at him. Loki sighed. "Golden," he murmured after a moment. "Everything your legends say it is and more. Except, the people there are a bit more unforgiving." Silence again. Katrina sighed and leaned back on her hands, her head raised to the sky. "New York's like that, too," she said finally. Loki, looking surprised, whipped his head to face her. "Really?" He inquired. "I thought of them to be more.. fearful." Katrina shrugged and lowered her head to meet his eyes. "That's only because you tried to rule them by _killing_ them," she pointed out bleakly. Loki's eyes flashed with something Katrina couldn't make out and he looked away. "Yes, I believe you're right," he murmured. Katrina slapped him on the back with a smile. "Away from the depressing stuff." She declared cheerfully. "Have you ever seen a sunset on Earth?" Loki frowned and shook his head, causing Katrina's smile to widen. "Well, that's what were doing. Get comfortable, Elsa, we'll be a while." Loki raised an eyebrow as she spoke her new nickname for him but didn't complain. She doubted he'd even know what she was talking about, which made it even funnier.

They sat on the balcony, watching the sun slowly melt into the horizon. The sky was a mixture of oranges, pinks and reds, and there were a few stars peeking out. Katrina sighed, before heaving herself to her feet. "I'm cold." She announced. "I'll see you later~!" With that, she went inside and remained in her room for the rest of the night. There, she pondered the clues she'd collected, and somehow got distracted because she ended up singing quietly to herself while reading a report. That was when she noticed an amused Tony at her doorway. "Ah, so you do speak," he commented, closing the door behind him. Katrina frowned, keeping to her beloved silence once again. The billionaire raised an eyebrow, before plopping himself on the foot of her bed. "You know, I saw the recordings. The day you spilled your life to Loki." Katrina tossed her reports onto the floor next to her bed and glared at Tony, who just shrugged. "Hey, can't help what I see kid!" He stood and made for the door. "When you decide to use that voice of yours, let me know. It'd be very useful to everyone if you just voiced your opinion for once." And then he was gone.


End file.
